


zanies & fools

by simplesongsmistress



Category: Black Clover - Tabata Yuki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Asta is Cinderella, Asta is a ray of sunshine, Childhood Friends, Cinderasta, Cinderella AU, Cinderella Elements, Everyone Loves Asta, Fairy Tale Elements, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Fuegoleon tries to be a good cousin, Gen, Happy Ending, Hopeful Asta, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Blood, Noelle and Yuno are Brotp in this, Non Magic Knight Asta, Oblivious Asta (Black Clover), Romance, Slow Burn, The Black Bulls are the fairy godmother, Yes all of them, Yuno hates Solid and Nebra, Yuno is a Prince, Yuno is so in love, Yuno is the Prince, asta needs a hug, its a mood, protective yuno, they still grew up together thou
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:15:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simplesongsmistress/pseuds/simplesongsmistress
Summary: “So, what do you think of the prince? He seems like a jerk from what I’ve heard.”“I mean," Asta pondered. "He threw this ball for us for the whole entire kingdom. Not just the nobles, but everyone. He can’t be all that bad.”“Well,” Yuno replied, much more aloof than Asta remembered. “He didn’t actually throw it. It was thrown for him.”“Same difference." Asta shrugged. "Royalty or not, I don’t even know the guy. And I’m not gonna judge someone until I’ve actually spoken to them.”Yuno smiled, it was different than Asta remembered. “Yeah… that sounds just like you.”He was changed, but he was still Yuno. Yuno would always be Yuno.Or, the Cinderella AU no one asked for.
Relationships: Asta & Black Bulls Ensemble, Asta & Rebecca Scarlet, Asta/Yuno (Black Clover), Kahono/Noelle Silva Side Pairing, Mimosa Vermillion & Yuno, Noelle Silva & Yuno, William Vangeance & Yuno
Comments: 24
Kudos: 197





	1. the sweetest sounds (prologue)

_ The sweetest sounds I'll ever hear _

_ Are still inside my head _

_ The kindest words I'll ever know _

_ Are waiting to be said _

_ The most and entrancing side of all _

_ Is yet for me to see _

_ It’s so much blood. _ It was all Yuno could think as he looked at the beaten and the bloodied boy who held his necklace in his hands. His pendant, something so important to Yuno, and Asta knew it too. It was why he fought so damn hard to protect it. 

Asta was strong in a way Yuno never even realized. Not until this very moment, not until he realized _he_ needed to be too. He couldn’t sit back and let this happen again, he wouldn’t sit back and cry next time. He would fight too and he would be  strong . 

He had to be. 

To better their lives and the lives of those at the Church, to protect the other kids, Father Orsi, Sister Lily, and (of course), Asta himself. 

He lent against Yuno, and Yuno could only fervently wish he was stronger so Asta wouldn’t have to lean at all. So he could carry the boy himself, so he wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place… 

If he had been strong enough to carry Asta, Asta wouldn't have tripped. Sending them both spiraling to the ground. 

It was freezing out, Asta was bleeding and injured and Yuno was  _ useless _ . He wanted to cry, so desperately he wanted to cry. But he refused to allow himself to, no. The first part of becoming someone strong meant that he couldn’t be  _ that _ anymore. Someone weak, someone who cried at everything. A crybaby. Still, he couldn't help but whimper. “I’m so sorry Asta.” 

And Asta, in all his  _ Astaness _ , waved off his apology. “No, it’s okay…" He was barely conscious. "I’m good.” 

Yuno would have called him a liar but only refrained due to the fact Asta probably _believed_ that he would be okay. It was just like him too... believing in something so obviously untrue. He had such a strong will, he always had. Knowing Asta, he could survive on audacity alone.

So, trying to use all the strength he could, he hooked Asta’s arm over his shoulder once more and tried to pull him up. Asta himself seemed to be completely unconscious now, it was worrying. 

“Oh my…” 

If Yuno had actually succeeded in picking up Asta, he would have dropped him in his shock at someone actually caring enough to take note of them. 

Unlike the man before, this one didn’t seem to have malicious intent. Rather, he seemed a bit mysterious with that mask of his. Though, there were kind eyes behind it. Yuno recognized that much. 

The man approached them too, his eyes were drawn to the red splayed across Asta. Despite his kind eyes, despite the man seemingly appearing to mean no harm, Yuno couldn’t help but draw Asta closer. He couldn’t risk the other boy being hurt again, he just  _ couldn’t _ . 

As if sensing his very fears, the man said. “I mean you children no harm.” 

Yuno wanted to believe him. Desperately, he wanted to believe him. As much as he wanted it to be otherwise, he wasn't strong right now. He wouldn't be able to do this on his own . At least, not right now. 

He wasn’t going to be able to save Asta. 

The man hesitantly took a step closer, keeping a clear eye on Yuno’s expression and body language.  _ His comfort _ . 

“If you’ll allow me, I could heal your friend.”

Despite his wants to be someone who didn’t cry, Yuno couldn’t help the small tremble of his lip. “You could?” He thought of Sister Lily and her healing magic, maybe this man was like that?

The masked man with kind eyes gave forth a nod. “I’m a magic knight you see, I have healing magic. If you’ll allow me, I could heal your friend.”

“Please!” Yuno begged without a second thought. He had never disliked a feeling so intensely before, having to beg for help from a stranger to save Asta. He’d become strong enough so he’d never have to beg for help again, so he’d be able to save Asta  _ himself _ . 

The man nodded, approaching them and kneeling down to reach Asta better. Yuno watched with fascination, the magic on the tips of his fingertips as it healed all the injuries plaguing the other boy.    
Asta remained unconscious, but his injuries became nonexistent. All that remained of them were the already dried blood on his clothing and skin. 

“Thank you so much,” Yuno said, fighting the tears of joy already building in his gaze.  _ No, he wouldn’t cry. No _ .

“Would you mind if I accompanied you boys home?” The man asked kindly. “It’d make me feel a lot better knowing you both got home safe.”

Asta was out of it, this was all up to Yuno… this man  _ had _ healed Asta, and Yuno himself was quite scared if he were honest. As much as wanted to be brave, he wasn’t. It was freezing cold in the snow and it was quite a trip between where they were now and the Church. A trip he’d have to carry Asta for….

“You… you can.” Yuno agreed, albeit shamefully. 

He’d never be this weak again, he decided. He would never need to rely on anyone else to save Asta or anyone else he loved, he would do it himself. 

The man nodded. “My name is William Vangeance,” He introduced. “And you are?”

“M- my name is Yuno and this is Asta.” Yuno replied, suppressing a sniffle. 

“It is lovely to meet you both, Yuno and Asta.” William offered a smile, however, his smile faltered. “Yuno, if you don’t mind me asking… where did you get that pendant?” 

Suddenly unsure and fearful of repeat offense, Yuno exclaimed. “It’s mine!” He’d never raised his voice at someone like that before, but Mr. Vengeance didn’t seem insulted. 

The other’s eyes looked over Yuno, as if he finally realized something. Then, smiling, he said. “I see.” Far gentler he spoke. “I’m sorry for the question, this isn’t the time for it.”

He reached forward, eyes set on Yuno for permission. Despite his own fear, Yuno gave it with a nod of his head. Vangaence lifted Asta into his arms with ease. 

_ Yuno wished he was that strong _ . 

Mr. Vangaence escorted them back to the church where Sister Lily met them at the door. Despite her increasing aversion to Asta’s marriage proposals she still cared for the young boy immensely, just as she did Yuno. Father Orsi met them outside as well except he was crying horribly at the sight of them. 

Eventually, Mr. Vangaence was to say goodbye. He promised that he would come to visit, not that Yuno had actually asked him to. But he did owe the man a great deal, and he remembered that gratitude whenever he caught sight of Asta alive and breathing. 

That goodbye only lasted a small time, for a few days yonder, the man returned. 

_ I’d like to adopt Yuno _ . He heard Mr. Vangaence say to Father Orsi and Sister Lily.

To which he wanted to reply.  _ Why? _

Yes, they were orphans. But the church wasn’t exactly a foster home where you could easily adopt a child. At least, Yuno hadn’t thought so. All his life he had never seen someone adopted from the church before. No one had  _ wanted _ to. Their village was in the middle of nowhere after all. No one wanted an extra mouth to feed, that was what the church itself was for. 

“Yuno…” Sister Lily had begun looking at him as if he had a choice, something which Yuno knew he didn’t. 

It was Asta who had found him that day after he had runoff. It wasn’t like Yuno to run off, typically it was Asta with Yuno being the one to find him. Today, it was the opposite. 

Asta, who didn't have a scratch on him on account of Mr. Vangaence’s magic. 

“Hi.” Yuno was the one to greet him despite his own dismay. 

Asta, someone typically rambunctious, seemed a bit subdued.

“I don’t want to leave.” Said Yuno, but Asta didn’t reply. He was thinking hard, something entirely unlike him. 

“It’d be easier for Sister Lily and the old man if you did,” Asta said and Yuno gaped. 

“Asta-”

“It’d make the little kids sad. And me a bit too…”  _ A bit? _ He turned to face Yuno, and he-- somehow, Asta smiled. “But I’d also be happy for you.” 

“Happy… for me?”

Asta nodded. “Yep! You’d have a family! And you could visit us all the time I’m sure too! And you said you wanted to become a Magic Knight too that night, right?” Yuno remembered, that night Asta had gotten injured. He  _ had _ said that. “This will help with that! Giveya leg up!” Asta proclaimed as if it was that simple. As if it wasn’t leaving Father Orsi, Sister Lily, all the kids,  _ Asta _ . 

“Won’t you miss me?” Yuno asked, once more fighting the instinct to let tears fall.

“Of course I will!” Asta replied in an instant, his smile remaining. “But it’ll be okay.”

“Asta-”

“It  _ will _ .” 

He was so confident. Yuno wished he could share such confidence. 

“Um… hello boys,” Before them, there he was again. Mr. William Vangaence. 

The man who was stealing Yuno away from his life.

“Sorry to interrupt,” He said and looked to Asta. “May I have a moment to speak with Yuno?”

Asta pursed his lips, thinking only for a moment before saying. “Alright, Mr. Weird-Mask guy.”

The man didn’t seem bothered by the title as Asta stepped away. 

The masked man took a seat next to the other boy. “Yuno…” Mr. Vangaence began. “I understand you must feel very scared right now, but-”

“I’m not  _ scared _ .” A lie. “I’m angry.” Not a lie. He was both scared and angry. Furious and terrified. “I don’t understand why you even  _ want _ me.”

Mr. Vangaence stared at him only for a moment before a gentle smile came on his face. “Do you believe there’s something wrong with you?”

Yuno frowned. "N-no, but-”

“But what?”

Dejected, Yuno said. “But no one wants random orphans in the middle of nowhere.” 

The man frowned. “What if I were to tell you, you weren’t?”

“Weren’t what?”

“A random orphan.” 

“Then… what am I?”

_ And the dearest love in all the world _

_ Is waiting somewhere for me _

_ Is waiting somewhere, somewhere for me _

“Asta!” Sister Lily called to him. “Yuno’s all packed up, it’s time to say goodbye!” 

_ It’s time to say goodbye _ . Despite his smile, Asta felt a dread stir in him at the prospect. Saying goodbye to Yuno… had he ever done that before? They had always been together, and when he didn’t see him he knew he’d see him  _ soon _ . Saying goodbye was never something they’d had to do ever before. 

He was happy for Yuno, if not a tad jealous (if not a tad _sad_ ). He was going to miss him so much… but it wasn’t like Yuno would be gone, he’d still visit. He would still b a part of their lives, Asta was sure. 

Yuno was saying his goodbyes to the rest of them, Father Orsi was sobbing and the little kids seemed tearful as well.

Guess it was on Asta to be the strong one. 

“You all packed up, right? You didn’t forget anything?” He asked, not caring either way. Yuno was never one to care for material objects or things, all except the one that sat settled on his neck. 

“No, I didn’t…” Yuno frowned at him, to which Asta gave him a light shove. 

“Stop being so sad!” He ordered. 

Yuno gaped at him. “Wha- wha-”

“Don’t be sad!” Asta repeated stubbornly as if it were that simple. “Everything will be okay! This isn’t the end, right? It’s only the beginning! We’re gonna become badass Magic Knights, right?”

“Asta!” Sister Lily reprimanded him. “Don’t use that word.”

Asta chuckled. “Sorry Sister Lily!” Faintly, he wondered if Yuno would miss this. 

“But we will… won’t we?” Asta raised his arm for a fist bump. He had to be the strong one after all, and if he and Yuno were to hug he may not be able to hold back his own tears. And Yuno, with his big glassy honey-colored eyes, returned the fist bump. “

He nodded firmly. “We will!” And with that, he returned the fist bump. 

So, refusing to let himself let his sadness show, Asta grinned fully. “I’ll see you around Yuno.”

Yuno gave a tight nod, his face scrunching as he tried to hold back from crying (Asta recognized the expression on him). “I’ll visit, I swear I will!”

“And I’ll be waiting!” Asta promised him, and he would.

He _did_. 

He waited long and hard for Yuno to return. Eagerly awaiting to see his closest friend once again. 

Yuno would return, Asta was sure. He assured himself again and again, as each year passed with no sign of Yuno. 

He waited and waited. 

But Yuno never did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was planning to finish my other WIP before this but i really wanted to write it so i said Fuck It. BUT YEE, my Cinderasta AU. I have a whole storyboard and plan for this, a ton is gonna happen! While it’s an AU, it’s sort of the same world as canon with some key differences. You’ll see more of them as the story goes on. Writing Yuno as a kid especially was really tough ngl Yuno in mid-transition to becoming the guy he has become at the current time. From crybaby to aloof badass is a huge transition, so he was def the toughest. I can’t imagine it was easy being someone who cried so often to becoming someone else entirely.


	2. in my own little corner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is less of a ‘things happening’ chapter and more of a set up for what is to come. It’s pretty much just covering what the boys have been up to in the passing years.

_In my own little corner in my own little chair_

_I can be whatever I want to be._

_On the wings of my fancy I can fly anywhere_

_And the world will open its arms to me._

Being a Prince was not all it was cracked up to be.

Though, Yuno had a hard time recalling anyone cracking it up at all. From the very start, once he had found him, William Vangaence had told Yuno exactly that. _Being a Prince won’t be easy_. There were so many politics and complications. Not to mention there was the fact he was the sole remainder of his branch of the family. 

His parents were dead, and he was thought to be too until William found him by accident. Not only that, but apparently he had _cousins_. Some of them he liked, Yuno would admit that much. Some of them actively annoyed him. Others, he downright hated. However, none of them were like the family he had back in Hage. Sister Lily, Father Orsi, the kids, _Asta_. None would compare. Though in all honesty, it wasn't a fair comparison for anyone. 

There were some who came close, however. For instance, the Grand Duke Klaus, though Yuno dubbed him his ‘babysitter’. The man had been by his side since the moment Captain Vangaence had taken him back to the royal family. For a long time, Klaus was his keeper. A role neither of them enjoyed. Nowadays he was simply to keep an eye on him and fret of course (though the fretting was on his own accord). 

Then, there were the cousins he liked. Surprising even himself, there were more he liked than disliked. Of course, his dislike was _intense_ for those under it. Nozel, for instance. The first relative he had met from his birth family. 

Yuno remembered it vividly. The man’s cold glare, like he had already judged Yuno before even uttering a word to him. Not to mention his cold treatment towards his youngest sister. The same could be said for Nebra and Solid. 

There was also the fact Nozel had been the one to tell him he wasn’t allowed to leave the estate until he had his Grimoire and could properly protect himself. Apparently, his bloodline was too _precious_ for his life to be risked. 

Ugh.

Fuegoleon had been much kinder in his approach to Yuno. Though he abided by the same notion Nozel did, that Yuno couldn’t leave on his own just yet. _But_ Fuegoleon didn’t judge him like Nozel did (for which, he later learned, was growing up as a commoner). In fact, Fuegoleon was the one to take him out occasionally. As long as he remained with Fuegoleon outside, it was okay. Of course, Fuegoleon was a captain of a Magic Knights Squad. He rarely had time to waste, and in turn, Yuno hadn’t had it either. 

He had yet to meet Mereoleona properly, but he had heard many stories of the woman. From what he had heard, she reminded him of Asta. 

_Asta_. That was someone he’d rather not think about. 

Kirsch was also someone Yuno wasn’t too fond of. Though, his reasons were far more trivial in regards to Kirsch. The guy was _annoying_. And sure, Leopold could be annoying as well. But it was a different type of annoying. A familiar type (why did he keep thinking about _him_?), and regardless of the loudness, Leopold typically had good intentions. 

Then there was Mimosa. His closest (and only) confidant. She had been the first of his cousins his own age which Yuno had met, and he hadn’t even known their relation at the time. It’d been a week since he was brought back to the royal family, and Yuno had been hiding. He had been so tired and miserable, missing Asta and the Church. He hadn’t been crying (he hadn’t cried since that day, he kept his vow), but he had been pretty shaky. Mimosa had found him and she had been _kind_. A friendship bloomed from that moment onward.

In fact, for his first three years with the royal family, Mimosa often helped him stay hidden. The two only stopped on account of Klaus almost having a stress-induced ulcer on account of it (not that he would admit this, but Yuno still found it pretty funny). 

Then there was Noelle.

The first time they met Yuno was the same moment Yuno prompt realized Solid and Nebra were horrible human beings, and siblings. He thought of the younger kids at the Church, who he had always tried to be a good big sibling too. Watching their mistreatment of Noelle, Yuno couldn’t help but wonder what was so different about their upbringings that they thought it was _okay_ to act in this manner. Were they in such denial that they couldn’t see how horrible they were? They were supposed to protect their little sister, not torment her. 

It was then Yuno decided _If they’re not going to do it, I will_. 

So he did. 

Noelle was skeptical of him at first, not that he could blame her. Yuno was skeptical of his own self, having no idea what he was doing. It was far different from the smaller kids at the Church, Noelle was his own age for one and for another… she had no _idea_ what a good family member looked like. So, Yuno showed her.

It wasn’t like he had much else going on. Sure there were Klaus’ academic lessons, but those were easy to pass and easy to avoid (there was a thick sense of amusement he would gain from not studying at all and then acing an exam, and Klaus struggling between being proud and being furious). So, he spent time with Noelle. 

The castle had a lot of things to it, and it’d been fun to explore. Though nothing was as fun as the looks on Solid and Nebra’s faces when they witnessed Yuno and Noelle playing together and how happy she was (of course, they then ‘joined in’ and ripped apart her favorite stuffed animal. To which Yuno first discovered how nifty wind magic could be to screw with people). 

Eventually, Mimosa joined into their games as well (prior to that, she and Yuno had only been serious and thoughtful discussions. He never imagined playing Hide and Seek with Mimosa until it happened and she _kicked his ass_ ). 

So, growing up with the royal family was eventful, to say the least. Yuno cared for (some of) them more than he’d admit, but he still missed his Hage family each and every day.

It’d be nice if they missed him too, though. 

After his first week of being told he was under no circumstances to leave the castle, Yuno decided to write. He wrote long letters, a bit messy, but detailed to the Church. He wrote letters specific for everyone, even for the kids who couldn’t read yet. He was sure Sister Lily would have no problem reading them out loud to the kids. 

So, Yuno waited for his response. He knew the journey was lengthy between Hage and the royal capital so when time went on and he had heard nothing back, he was _patient_. 

Then, he wrote to them again. Because perhaps the letters hadn’t reached them the first time? Yuno wrote and waited, and waited, and waited… 

Eventually, he gave up. (It was hard not to after having spent four years writing letters weekly and never receiving anything in return). 

By the time he was 15 and received his Grimoire there wasn’t much shock at the fact he’d received a four-leaf Grimoire. At least, not much shock from the people who knew him. The populace was shocked of course. _The lost Prince returning with a Four-Leaf Grimoire, what a shocking turn of events!_

Oh yeah. There was also the fact that his status as _living_ wasn’t announced to the kingdom until he was 15. Another reason they kept him locked up for so long. 

The Magic Knights Entrance Exams had been uneventful (though there had been a small part of him desperate for Asta to have been there, for him to recognize that familiar ash-blonde hair and bright green eyes. For the boy to wave his hand and say ‘Yuno! It’s been too long!’. Of course, Yuno knew better than to put stock in wishful thinking). 

He joined the Golden Dawn, to no one’s surprise. He had kept a correspondence with William Vangaence since the other man had found him (he was the only one to actually write him back, of course Yuno got attached). From then on, with his great power, Klaus’ presence became more of a formality than an actual babysitter. 

He was allowed to do whatever he wanted now, to roam free. 

Visiting Hage again had been a thought that crossed his mind more than once. More than twice. Far too many times than Yuno cared to admit. Each time, however, he reminded himself of the fact _they didn’t respond_. Not even when he told them he found his birth (extended) family, or that he was a Prince ( _Isn’t that cray Asta? You did always say my pendant was shiny, guess that makes sense now. You protected a royal heirloom_! _)_ He had wanted Asta to be proud of himself, just like the way Yuno was proud of him. ( _Asta, I miss you_. ) He wanted Asta to respond, more than anything. ( _He wanted **Asta**_ ). 

He wasn’t desperate enough to visit somewhere where he was unwanted, Yuno was confident in that much. It was a subject he shut down whenever someone else tried to broach it (Klaus, Mimosa, and Fuegoleon had all given it a shot, Yuno was quick to change the subject). 

Then there was Noelle. 

In his own training for the Magic Knights Entrance Exams, he hadn’t paid much heed to the world around him. 

His negligence resulted in Nozel keeping his reigning title of pompous douche, and Noelle being sent away to the _Black Bulls_. Later, when he asked Captain Vangaence about it, he assured Yuno the Captain was a good man, if not a bit unorthodox. 

(“Do you trust him?” Yuno had asked knowing Captain Vangaence was never one to lie.

“I absolutely trust him.” He had responded. The _absolutely_ in that sentence was reassuring. 

“So he’s not some kind of crazy person,” Yuno went on to try and confirm. “Right?” 

“... I absolutely trust him.” That was decidedly less assuring.)

But, in all his encounters with Noelle since joining the Magic Knights Squads, she seemed to be doing well. In fact, she seemed to be _thriving_. Yuno would have told her he was proud if not for maintaining his calm demeanor and the fact she would have said in return, ' _Of course, I’m doing well, I’m royalty you know'._

He went on missions, all too many. But it was rare for Yuno to go out for himself, for something leisure. Not that he’d admit it, but Yuno didn’t even know what leisure looked like. Aside from reading a book or being on a mission, those were the activities he enjoyed much. Many people disputed using the word ‘leisure’ in conjunction with them. The last time he remembered having true fun was with-

_Well_. You could guess. 

“Yuno!” And there was Mimosa, though she seemed a bit more flustered than usual. 

His expression furrowed. “What’s going on?” He presumed something had to be happening for her to appear with such a face, and Yuno was proven right all too soon. 

“Solid told me Nozel is planning an arranged marriage for Noelle!” Mimosa exclaimed, looking furious at the very prospect. 

Slowly, Yuno put down his book. “He’s doing _what_?”

_I am lost in the jungle all alone and_

_Unarmed when I meet a lioness in her lair_

_Then I'm glad to be back in my own little corner,_

_All alone in my own little chair._

“Order up!” 

Being a waiter in a crappy dead-end establishment was never what Asta pictured for his life. 

When he was little he wanted to be a Magic Knight, to become the Wizard King even, to be strong enough to protect everyone and make people’s lives _better_. Nowadays, he could hardly handle keeping his own life afloat. 

Yuno left, and Asta missed him, but life went on. He waited for him to come back, to visit, to send so much as a postcard.

That was never something that happened. 

Some of the other kids had gotten bitter about it. Saying things as _Yuno forgot about them,_ or _He was too busy with his new life to care,_ and Asta… Asta didn’t believe that for even a second. Not the Yuno he knew. No way. 

Still, there was no sign of the other boy, and by the time he reached 15, Asta knew things couldn’t remain as they were. He would have journeyed to the royal capital to take the Magic Knight Entrance Exams… if he had a Grimoire. But Asta had received no such thing. 

It was a heartbreaking sight to see him reaching for something that would never come down, but it was nothing compared to Asta’s own heartbreak. His dream was crushed, his hopes dashed, and everyone he aspired to be was suddenly undone. 

That had been one of the hardest times of his life. 

Asta had been… depressed. He would even admit it, not that he was proud. But… he moved on. He couldn’t be a Magic Knight. Okay. It _hurt_ but it didn’t mean he was useless, it didn’t mean he was _nothing_ (as so many had called him time and time again ‘ _N_ _othing!_ ’). So, in a fit of aspiration, Asta decided he had to do _something_ with his life. Find a way to help support the Church, to do something productive with his life (he couldn't keep waiting around for Yuno, he was sure the other boy would understand).

Becoming a farmer wasn’t something he wanted to do (and Father Orsi knew it too, even as he dropped 7 hints every 15 minutes that that was what Asta should settle on). Ultimately, Asta decided he was going to journey to the Common Realm and see what kind of work he could find there, then he would send what he could to the rest of them. Sister Lily and Father Orsi had been a bit shocked at his declaration to help take care of them, even trying to persuade him otherwise (“It’s not your job to take care of us Asta!” To which he waved them off, because it wasn’t his job it was his _choice_ ). 

Though, he hadn’t thought too far ahead. As it turned out, the Common Realm was far different from what he had known before. Finding a job was no easy feat, let alone finding a warm place to sleep. Asta had lucked out, truly and completely, to have met Rebecca Scarlet. 

She didn’t have all too much space, and she had younger siblings to boot. But Asta was great with kids, and he was great with working with what little he had. So he did. He got a job where Rebecca worked, _The Rhombus_ , becoming a waiter. He didn’t make nearly enough as he would have liked, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. So he sent what he could back to the Church, and what remained went to rent. 

Rebecca was amazing to work with, she was always friendly, helpful, and worked her ass off. Asta was proud to call her a friend. 

His other co-workers weren’t nearly so great. 

Not to say they were terrible, they weren’t. Well except Ladros. He was pretty terrible, but Asta dealt with it. Neige was okay, just not too talkative, but not as bad as that brother of his Baro. Baro was an utter _asshole_. Then there as Fana and Mars, the two love birds. They were both relatively nice if not a bit frosty, but they didn’t look out for anyone but each other. 

Then there was the boss man. Morris. He was a middle-aged man with short hair and dark glasses, and when Asta first met him he thought he seemed pretty nice. 

Then he started working for him. 

Not only was Morris their boss, but he was also their landlord. He was manipulative, being a polite kind man in front of the customers but an asshole behind the scenes. For instance, Asta had signed on to be a waiter. _Not_ to shovel a damn furnace. But… if he didn’t do it, it would be Rebecca who had to do. So, that was that.

Though, on the brighter side of things, working there had resulted in Asta meeting his very favorite friends, customers, and tippers, The Black Bulls. 

Yes, all of them. 

He had met most of them in the passing at first. Giving polite smiles and serving them their meals from time to time, and even watching as their Captain continuously lost in his gamblings. It wasn’t until the night Vanessa had wandered into their establishment wasted that Asta actually had a conversation with any of them. Though, that first conversation consisted of Vanessa’s blabbering and Asta’s realization he couldn’t just abandon her like that. 

So, Asta took off work early and brought Vanessa home for her to get some rest. 

The next morning, instead of waking her up, Asta let her rest while he went back to work. He left a note for the witch, along with a pre-made breakfast. It wasn’t a _grand_ breakfast, but Asta knew his way around the kitchen well enough. 

The first thing he expected when he walked through the door was being chewed out by Morris. At least, that’s what _almost_ happened. Apparently, brooms brought you places far faster than walking did. Vanessa beat him there, and looking Morris dead in the eye, she handed Asta a _beautiful_ tip. 

From then on, Vanessa made a habit of coming to The Rhombus. Eventually, bringing along her fellow guildmates. Each of which Asta got along with pretty damn well. It was _nice_ making friends. (It made him miss Yuno though, his very first friend). 

Somehow, Asta became a part of their lives. Don’t ask _how,_ he wouldn’t be able to tell you. Suddenly he went from barley knowing the Black Bulls to not being able to get rid of them. Not that he wanted to. For all Morris’ bluster, the man couldn’t deny how much they spent and their good tips. Asta himself couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed their company and friendship. They were goofballs, they were _fun_. Sure they all had their own quirks, but who was Asta to judge anyone? After all, he had the worst ‘quirk’ of all.

Being without magic. 

It was unheard of in this kingdom (he had inquired about it to many upon his initial arrival). For a long time, Asta had hoped it was something that happened to others, that he wasn’t alone in his anomaly. To his dismay, he _was_. Completely and utterly alone in his lack of magic. 

It was… difficult. Especially due to the fact he couldn’t talk to anyone about it. It was presumed everyone had magic in the Clover Kingdom, so no one had any reason to think otherwise unless they sensed it. And it wasn’t often (or like, ever) that anyone went through the trouble of trying to sense mana from a random waiter. 

So, Asta prospered on. It was all he could do and so he _would_. 

There was one last thing, however. Another thing he couldn’t talk to anyone about, but for severely different reasons. What he hadn’t mentioned about his boss Morris. Aside from his manipulating, aside from the asshole behavior, there was one last thing that was worse than either of those two. Or maybe it could be argued they were on the same level. However, for Asta, he found this the last what he disliked the most. 

Morris was… _controlling_. To all his employees, especially the ones he had as his tenants and to Asta more so than anyone else. Of course, Asta knew why. It wasn’t some big mystery. In his very first interview, Morris had pointed out his lack of magic, and how… 'fascinating' it was. How... there was a chance for Asta to have ultimate job security, for him to make even more, and all he had to do was- well…

“Asta!” The man snapped. “You’re late!”

Asta kept his mouth firmly shut, desperately wanting to say his very valid reason but withholding it. It’d only be called an _excuse_. It was better for Morris to always be right no matter what, even when Asta knew he wasn’t. Life was a whole lot easier when he stopped defending himself. 

“I’m sorry.” He tried to make it sound genuine, and Asta was pretty positive he did it well. Hell, he considered himself a pro at it by now, taking responsibility and apologizing when he knew he wasn’t at fault. That was his normal nowadays. 

The man sighed, like dealing with Asta was _so_ exhausting. 

And Asta? Asta waited for instructions. He knew better than to be presumptuous when he was alone in the back room with the man who considered himself a _scientist_. 

“We’re going to be taking some blood today, come along boy.”

_Blood_. Well, that wasn’t too bad. 

Good thing he skipped breakfast today. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Yuno becoming Noelle’s big bro was NOT my intention. My initial thought was for them to be a brotp, which they ARE but this was not the dynamic i originally envisioned. I dig it though! I’ve also noticed that Yuno in this is a bit more mischievous than in canon, and it’s due to him having grown up in the castle. It def stems from all his boredom and having so much brainpower and magic power but being unable to do anything with it for a long time. Also, Im giving a Wow on the fact I have three pages just summarizing what Yuno’s been up to in the time skip lol I hope it isn’t too much exposition (sorry guys). ALSO if I didn’t make it clear enough in the story (which, knowing me, I might not of) Yuno, Asta and the rest of em are a bit older here than in canon.


	3. the prince is giving a ball

_ If only he'd propose to me! _

_ I pray that he'll propose to me! _

_ Why shouldn't he propose to me?! _

_ The Prince is giving a ball! _

News spread like wildfire in the Clover Kingdom. From talks of the nobles to the magic knights to the guilds, so much trash talk, rumors, and idle gossip. It was after having met and befriending the Black Bulls Asta started turning down his ear at it. He was not interested in things said about people he called friends when he knew them to be lies (Finral being a Ladykiller? Ha! More like a Lady-chaser). So, of course, when the news broke of the prince giving a ball he didn’t hear until Rebecca told him. 

Asta had come back from shoveling the furnace (he had allowed himself a little time of watching the cinders fly, it was so pretty) when he caught sight of Rebecca outside talking to a man for what was turning into a lengthy amount of time. As time passed, Asta narrowed his eyes at the sight. Wondering if he ought to see if she needed an ‘ _out_ ’ of the conversation. 

When it came to people who saw themselves over Asta and Rebecca's stature they often bailed each other out. Those kinds of people tended to try and walk all over them, take whatever they wanted, it wasn't very fun. In fact, Asta hated it with all his heart.

More than once Asta found himself buried in confusion when he thought of their behavior. Why was it so hard to treat them like  _ people _ ? With kindness and respect? Regardless of their station, Asta knew they deserved that much. 

If The Black Bulls, the supposed ‘worst magic guild’ could do it… why couldn’t  _ everyone _ ? What was so hard about being a good person?

He suppressed a sigh, already knowing the answer. There was  _ nothing _ hard about it. It was just a choice people (nobles) chose not to make. 

“Asta!” Rebecca called finally coming back into  _ The Rhombus  _ with an uncharacteristically large smile on her face. Typically Rebecca was more subdued in her happiness, always guarding it carefully. Right now it appeared she couldn’t contain it. 

“You look awfully happy Rebecca,” He said wiping down a table left dirty by their previous patrons (it was nice when people cleaned up after themselves but it was not something to be counted on).  He gave a look toward the man she’d been talking to outside. “Let me guess, you’re marrying a rich noble and getting set for life.”

“I  _ wish _ .” She replied playfully and Asta chuckled in response. It was a fantasy they both had spoken about before, someone coming in and sweeping all their problems away. Though, Rebecca found it more appealing than Asta did. He enjoyed working hard and producing good work, providing for himself and his family, being helpful. He liked being someone  _ productive _ . Though, he did wish his financial situation wasn’t so tight. Work would be a lot more fun if he wasn't dangling at the end of his rope. 

“I mean,” Her cheeks reddened. “That might be changing.”

Asta paused at the suggestion of it, shocked at the fact Rebecca saw it as a potential reality. Rebecca, the most realistic person he knew. Before he could utter an inquiry someone else interjected.

“So you heard about the ball then?” There was Fana, his kindest co-worker right after Rebecca. She smiled. “It sounds like grand fun.”

A ball. Asta’s eyes brightened,  _ oh _ . It wasn’t the first party that the nobles had thrown, even the tournaments they threw were perfect for 'it'. 'It' being those nights when business boomed, when the regular folk would get upset at their lack of potential and waste a huge amount of coin in their restaurant. The tips were fantastic! No wonder Rebecca was excited. 

“Guess we’ll be having a busy night then.” He grinned, only to find Rebecca giving him a  _ look _ .

“Asta,” She said. “You’re not getting it.”

He frowned. “What aren’t I getting?”

“We aren’t going to have any business,  _ everyone _ will be at the ball.”

His eyes widened. “Everybody as in… everybody?”

Rebecca nodded with a grin. “The ball is for everyone, not just nobles. Every single person in the kingdom is invited.”

“That’s…” Asta was at a loss for words. When he’d first come to the Clover Kingdom he’d been sad to find out balls were only for nobles. He had dreamed of the dancing, the music, the food, all the cool clothing, and costumes. Then, he’d gotten over it. He had no choice in it. It’d been an impossible dream so Asta moved on. 

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

A smile came forth onto Asta’s face. “Yeah… it is.” It was hard to contain his excitement, despite his words showing otherwise. He wanted to shout from the rooftops, scream and jump with Rebecca, let loose all the ideas and dreams he had for the night to come. But he knew better than to do that in a work environment, better than to let his employer and coworkers see him excited. In other words, _vulnerable_. “It sounds pretty nice.”

An understatement if there ever was. 

“It does, doesn’t it?” 

A coldness swept over him at the entering voice of Morris, their boss, and the owner of  _ The Rhombus _ . Asshole supreme. 

Instantly Asta dropped his smile, careful and aware of all he did. He couldn’t risk making the wrong move in front of Morris, the last thing he needed was to give the man another reason to be awful. The last time he’d seen him was the night prior, and his arm still hurt from where he’d taken blood. 

There had been a time Asta wondered if any of his fellow employees had that type of deal with Morris, but it wasn’t long before he decided not to entertain the notion. It was better off with him not knowing. The only one he knew for sure _didn't_ have it, was Rebecca. That was the only person he cared enough to find out about. 

“But, you never know who may skip the ball,” Morris said. “Many aren’t a fan of nobility or royalty after all.”

_ Yeah, but who would deny themselves amazing free food _ ? Asta wanted to retort, though he decidedly kept his mouth shut. 

“So Asta,” There was a dreadful feeling boiling in Asta’s chest as Morris looked toward him. “You will be staying here to man  _ The Rhombus  _ during the ball.”

A coldness hollowed in his chest. Asta wanted to scream at the top of his lungs.  _ That’s not fair! Everyone else is going! Why am I the only one staying behind? It’s your damn store why don’t you stay behind?!  _

Instead, he said this. “Understood sir.” 

Morris stared him down, almost scrutinizing him under the glare.  _ What did I do wrong- I didn’t argue… _

“Why don’t you stay behind?” It wasn’t Asta or his co-workers to ask such a thing, rather it was a red-haired patron with a strange mask upon his face. Was that a Black Bulls robe he was wearing? Asta didn’t remember seeing this man ever before with the Black Bulls… “If you care so much about that 0.1 percent of business why not give up your night instead of ruining his?” The words were said cuttingly and without hesitation. 

Morris squinted towards the man. “Well  _ someone _ needs to drum up business at the ball, spread the word about  _ The Rhombus _ .” 

_ I could do that _ . Asta wanted to say but bit back from it (literally biting his own lip, if he didn’t do so he wouldn’t be able to hold his tongue). 

“Doesn’t seem fair to me.” The redheaded noted casually. 

“Well,” Morris clenched his teeth irritably. “No one asked you.” With those such words, Morris made his hasty exit without sparing one glance backward. 

Asta’s throat felt dry. 

“Asta…” Rebecca started, probably in an attempt to comfort him. Though Asta couldn’t imagine what she could say to make him feel better if there was anything at all. One night off, for a brief moment, he thought he had a single night off. He thought he could eat good fun, dance, hear beautiful music and see the castle for the very first time. 

It appeared not. 

“Ha!” Langros. Oh great. “This is for the best I’m sure, the prince wouldn’t want you at the ball anyway.” He taunted. “Look at you! You’re covered in cinders!  _ Cinderasta _ .”

There were seldom many times Asta could hold himself back, he used them all for Morris. Langros was not someone nearly so lucky. 

Reeling back a fist, Asta brought it forth in a quick flash knocking it into Langros’ nose. The man let out a screech. 

“You rat- how dare you-”

“My name is  _ Asta _ .” He didn’t need to scream to make his voice loud, to fill it with conviction. “I may be stuck here now but one day I’m gonna do something great, I’m going to  _ be _ something great. Just you wait, just you  _ watch _ .” Maybe he wasn’t going to be the Wizard King, maybe he wasn’t even going to become a Magic Knight. But just  _ this _ ? This wasn’t the end of him, this wasn’t his legacy. Asta knew there was so much more, he would _be_ so much more. Someday. Somehow. 

Deep breaths heaved from him, determination seeped into his eyes as his fists clenched at his side. All eyes were set on Asta. 

It was overwhelming to be riddled with so many stares, from utter shock to approval, to so many shaking their heads in his directions, so many pitying... 

So, he took off. He was stuck working the night of the ball anyway, it wasn’t like Morris could give him the worst shift (and he sure wasn’t firing him, Asta knew at least that).

“ _ Twerp! _ ” He heard Langros say as the doors shut behind him. He’d been called worse. Orphan. Freak. Weakling. Asta could take all their insults, he was used to them. 

He would survive this. He always did.    
  
  


_ Live and play your part _

_ Don't give away your heart _

_ Don't take what the world gives you _

Yuno was going to kill Nozel, and he meant it this time. Sure there had been many occasions where he threatened murder to his cousins, like the time Kirsch filled his room with flowers and thought it would be considered a  _ gift _ . 

So Yuno, in return, filled Kirsch’s room with _his_ magic. Wind. Sure Kirsch eventually found joy in redecoration, just like Yuno found joy in his flabbergasted screams when he’d found his empty room. 

It sure made Mimosa’s day. He never saw his more well-liked cousin smile so joyfully. 

“Where’s Nozel?” He asked Nebra upon setting sights on the elder royal. 

“What do you want with my brother?” She spoke to him like he was a stranger, which Yuno was just fine with. The only thing that stopped him from wishing they  _ were _ strangers was Noelle. Speaking of which. 

“Why is he so insistent on torturing his youngest sister?” Yuno snapped back. “Better yet, why are  _ all _ you?”

“What are you blabbering on about?” Nebra spoke dismissively like she couldn’t be bothered with any of them. 

“Solid said Nozel is planning an arranged marriage for Noelle!” Mimosa exclaimed from behind Yuno. Her words repeated made Yuno falter in his fury. 

“Solid said.” It dawned on him, and suddenly everything made sense. “Nozel isn’t even in the castle, is he?”

Nebra smirked. “No, he isn’t.”

Scratch killing Nozel. He was going to _maim_ Solid. That loser didn’t deserve death, he deserved to live in pain. Solid was always the worst of them Yuno didn’t even know why he was surprised. It was because of Solid’s non-stop awfulness Noelle had hardly been around the castle at all. When she first joined the Black Bulls she made an effort to commute between their headquarters and the castle much like Yuno did (though his was for lack of choice. Overprotective assholes and their ‘your bloodline can’t die out!’ theatrics) ultimately Noelle stopped the commute and took up a room at the Black Bulls.

Yuno missed her.

So yes, he was more than a bit bitter toward Solid, and Nebra too. Of course Nozel as well but that anger was more than just about Noelle’s treatment (not that it didn't play a large role in it). 

“Ah, so you heard?” Speak of the loser. 

“Your lies, you mean?” Mimosa retorted angrily. “Why would you lie to me like that Solid?”

Solid flashed a smarmy look, one Yuno was so entirely used to (and over). “Because… it’s fun? Plus it may have reached Noelle and that would have been  _ funny _ .” He grinned that awful taunting smile of his. “Just imagine! She would have been so scared! Of course, she would have accepted it. You know Noelle, no will of her own. Just a disappointing little-”

The wind stirred to life around them, sending Solid flying into the wall. Not enough to send him through it, not yet (though Yuno was more than capable). Held against it, he didn’t even look alarmed. That was probably because this was a routine they were both used to. 

Solid would say something awful, Yuno would thrash him in words or with actions. They both knew Yuno was far more powerful (Yuno also knew Solid resented it. Something which made Yuno all too happy to flaunt his power ). 

“Oh look at you Yuno,” Solid chuckled. “The whole kingdom thinks you’re this cool reclusive prince but truly you’re just a barbaric boy who was raised like a commoner and acts like one too!”

“If you’re trying to insult me I’d recommend you look in a different direction,” Yuno rebutted without missing a beat. “You’ll have to find something I’m actually ashamed of, like being related to you.” 

“You  brat !” Growled Solid. “You’re lucky I don’t-”

“It’s not _luck_.” Yuno cut him off, smirking. “You couldn’t beat me if you tried.” 

Nebra gasped. “Hold your tongue you wretched boy!”

Slowly, Yuno turned to face her. “You'd have to force me to do that," Mockingly, he added. " _Dear cousin_.” 

Nebra looked aghast at his challenge, but soon her Grimoire was at her side. He’d beaten Solid plenty of time, it’d interesting to beat Nebra. So Yuno readied himself, bringing forth his Grimoire (he hadn’t done so to deal with Solid, he knew he didn't need it).

“You may want to step back Mimosa.” He warned the other girl. He was a bit surprised she hadn’t objected to the fight. A glance toward her showed him her fury. There was something nice about knowing he and Mimosa were united in their anger. 

“ _ That is enough _ !” Any forms of magic dropped in an instant when Fuegoleon entered the fray and raised his voice. Yuno had enough respect for him to comply. “Nebra and Solid-” The fire mage stopped himself before he could unwind into a lecture to his younger two cousins. Yuno had witnessed such a sight many times as he grew, no lecture seemed enough to deter the two assholes from their awful behavior. Fuegoleon seemed to realize this as well, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. “Yuno,” He redirected. “I expected this from them, but from you, I expect better.”

“Why?!” Solid exclaimed. “He’s practically a commoner!” 

“And what is wrong with that, Solid?” Unlike when Yuno’s anger had been turned toward him, Solid actually cowered in the face of Fuegoleon’s. 

When Solid was unable to respond, Fuegoleon sighed and turned back to Yuno. “You can’t keep this up Yuno… you need more people in your life, friends.”  _ Ugh, he’s on this again _ ? Yuno had heard it more than once, Fuegoleon lecturing him how he should make friends in his guild or with anybody at all. The guy seemed obsessed with the notion of it. For some reason, he was convinced it would 'better' Yuno. (Yuno himself found it ironic given that Fuegoleon had a hand in keeping him locked up for so long, thus preventing him from making friends at all as a child. Despite his respect for the man, that wasn’t something Yuno was willing to forgive anytime soon.) 

“I have Mimosa. She’s my friend.” It was a weak response and Yuno knew it just by Fuegoleon's expression. Mimosa herself  didn’t look too impressed either. She herself had many friends in The Golden Dawn, as well as other squads. Even Noelle had friends in The Black Bulls now. 

All Yuno had outside of his family was Klaus and William. Neither of them was bad by any degree, but they weren't entirely 'socializing' material. Captain Vangaence had his duties to uphold, and Klaus was technically his babysitter. And as much as he cared for the guy, that role wasn't something you could undo. 

“You could have a ball,” Fuegoleon encouraged. “Meet others, mingle, and make friends. It’ll be a perfect social experience.”

Yuno would beg to differ. 

But… but he could use this. “I’ll have a ball on two conditions,” He began, startling Fuegoleon in his agreement. Yuno wasn’t typically one to budge on things. He was stubborn (and he knew who he got it from too, and it wasn’t anyone he shared blood with). 

Nebra and Solid seemed just as shocked by his agreement having heard him deny Fuegoleon’s suggestion many times in the past. Mimosa eyed him curiously, not quite surprised, but rather intrigued. She probably thought he had a plan up his shoulder. Which, of course, he did 

“I’ll have the ball if Nebra and Solid leave Noelle alone.” Nozel already ignored her existence practically completely, and he wasn’t one to be swayed or controlled (unlike the other two Silva fools). 

“I’ll ensure it,” Fuegoleon said despite the other two’s protests. “And the other?”

This time, Yuno smirked. “The ball is for  _ everyone _ . Nobility and commoners alike.” Nebra and Solid gasped, and if Yuno didn’t know any better he’d say Fuegoleon looked impressed. 

“Done.” The fire mage agreed seamlessly despite his other two cousins’ vocal objections, Fuegoleon gave forth a grin. “I’ll start making arrangements.” And with that, he took his exit. 

Mimosa looked like she had something to say, a grin on her face, so probably something nice. Of course, Solid had to open his mouth and say something stupid like always. “Why do you even care about that girl so much?!”

That girl, being Noelle. Solid’s little sister. 

“That isn’t how you’re supposed to treat your siblings.” Yuno declared. It felt like simple words. The sky was blue, grass was green, you shouldn't treat your siblings like shit. Normal things. 

Solid collected himself from his prior dishevelment on account of Yuno's wind magic and stepped forward closer. A bit too close for comfort in Yuno's opinion. “And what would  _ you _ know about siblings?”

Yuno didn’t falter in his stare, nor did he back down. “Clearly more than you.”

Before Solid could retort, Nebra called. “Solid!” She gave a huff. “Come on.” 

Giving him one last glare, Solid strut off like the asshole he was with his nose turned up in the air. He slammed the door behind him and Nebra. 

“So…” Mimosa grinned at him. “Guess it’s time to spread the word. The prince is giving a ball.”

Yuno let out a groan _.  _ Another boring ball that he'd count down the minutes till it was over with. At least he'd get to see Noelle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You’ll notice along with Yuno’s more mischievous side mentioned and shown in the last chapter, Asta himself is a bit different too. He’s more subdued and resigned, a bit more mature. He’s still Asta though, and all that comes with that. Also a small note, in my initial spreadsheet for this chapter I had Finral witnessing Asta having an outburst elsewhere from The Rhombus. When the Cinderasta line came into play I didn’t realize Asta would have such a reaction to it until I was actually writing it, and Zora was there so that was how it turned out. The original idea was to mirror how Finral found out about Asta’s arms in the series with him being the one to see Asta’s outburst but that fell out the window so ooopsies. How Yuno agreed to the ball came out a lot different as well, initially, it had only been for Noelle’s sake but in the final version, it was also for Solid’s classism. You’ll also notice Yuno is a bit easier to anger in this, another difference in his personality. Without Asta to balance him out to being the cool one (plus having to deal with his asshole cousins) Yuno has a quicker temper. Wonder how that'll come into play in the future...


	4. impossible (it's possible)

_Impossible_

_For a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage_

_Impossible_

_For a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage_

Accepting the world beating you down nonstop was easy when it wasn’t in the process of actually _beating_ you. Despite having come to terms with it so long ago, it still hurt. Asta wished he could be numb to it. So much more would be easier that way.

Numb to pain, numb to sorrow, numb to _hope_ . Most of his pain began with hope, after all. And no matter how many times it happened he simply couldn’t stop it. The only hopeless thing about him was the inability to stop hoping. (He could hear a certain person with golden eyes in his head saying _That’d be called irony Asta_ ). 

It was the end of the long shift, and he’d waved Fana and Mars goodbye. The nights Fana and Mars were closing up with him were probably the best, even better than closing with Rebecca. Mars and Fana had no trouble with Asta leaving early, they actually encouraged it. It gave them some ‘alone time’. Sure they were a bit weird but Asta appreciated the time off. Especially after this evening, he was… tired. Coming back to work after having stormed off, of course, Morris gave him shit for it. The man practically spewed shit. Once this time in his life ended (and it _had_ to end eventually, right? It just had to) Asta planned to never lay eyes on the man again. The man had only hired him on account of his lack of magic and the want to see some results of it. Asta didn’t fully understand the whole thing of it, but at the time he’d desperately needed a job so he didn’t think twice.

He wished he had.

There were sometimes he wished he hadn’t left Hage at all. (There were many more times when he wished Yuno hadn’t left Hage at all too, but Asta deemed those thoughts selfish so he tried not to have them). 

Asta had expected the walk back to be uneventful, as it typically was. Not that he didn’t enjoy eventful things, but he was a bit too used to disappointment, he couldn’t risk more hope. What greeted him, however, wasn’t hope.

It was a knapsack over his head. 

Did... this count as a kidnapping? 

Someone hoisted him over their shoulder and began to walk. Asta did consider giving a fit, trying to land a kick or break free but… Well. He was a bit burned out. On top of which, he didn’t have much concern for his safety. Not in the sense, he didn’t care about being safe, but rather he doubted anyone dangerous would want anything to do with him. He had, literally, _nothing_ to offer. Morris reminded him of it time and time again after all… 

Some time went by being carried away, then he heard an oddly familiar voice shouting. “Oh my god, you _didn’t_!” Soon he was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground. 

“You guys wouldn’t shut up and it needed to get done.” That voice was _also_ familiar. 

The sack was quick to be snatched off his head, and to which he was met with many familiar faces. The Black Bulls. Uh... “Where am I?”

There was Vanessa, with a drink in hand, Charmy eating, Finral looking exasperated, Gauche uncaring, Gordon muttering, Magna yelling, Luck grinning, and Grey in a copy of Charmy. Pretty much all the things he had come to expect from the Black Bulls. 

“Welcome to The Black Bulls base Asta!” Vanessa cheered.

Despite his inquiries, Asta couldn’t help but appreciate the warm welcome. 

“I’d introduce everyone but you _know_ everyone.” Finral chuckled weakly. 

Asta couldn’t help but take notice of some Black Bulls missing. “Where’s Captain Yami?” The lack of looming and royal presence among them was curious. Wait, royal? “Oh, and Noelle!” 

“Captain Yami had to be there early as a Captain of the Magic Knights,” Finral explained. “He wasn’t much happy about it, you could probably imagine.”

Honestly, Asta _could_ imagine. 

“And our girl Noelle had some family obligations,” Vanessa finished the explanation. “But don’t worry, she pitched in.”

Asta frowned. “Pitched into what?” Furthermore, he wondered. “Why am I here?” 

“Well,” Finral began. “Zora overheard you talking to your boss and all that happened and we really do care about you a lot Asta so-”

“We’re getting you to the ball!” Magna interrupted with a shout of excitement. 

Had Asta heard him right? Was this him finally losing it and hallucinating? And who was Zora? “I’m… what?” 

“We’re getting you to the ball,” Gauche spoke with crossed arms. “Is something wrong with your hearing?”

He couldn’t tell if he was insulting him or genuinely concerned. Still, Asta had to ask once more. “ _What_?”

“To stick it to your ass of a boss,” Oh there was that redhead again! That must mean he was Zora. “One of the fools here recommended the place, so imagine my surprise when I see how much of a shithead the owner is.”

“Yeah, he really is.” Asta agreed without falter. 

In response was a heavy stare from Zora. “You know you _could_ just leave, right?”

It came from a good place, but the words did sting just a bit. Asta didn’t have so many options, after all. It wasn’t as simple as leaving, not anymore. “I wish I could.” He inhaled. “But, at least for now, I can’t.” So Asta smiled because that was something you had to do sometimes when things _hurt_ . “And I appreciate what you guys want to do but I can’t risk my job.” He let out a laugh because those made it easier too. Having to refuse this, it _sucked_. But he couldn’t allow the slight chance Morris would find out, he just couldn’t. 

“What if you weren’t risking your job?” It was asked by Vanessa with a smirk on her lips. “What if.. we could guarantee you’re covered for work _and_ you're able to party your little booty off at the ball.” 

There was a flight flicker of hope in his chest Asta couldn’t repel, but he was quick to quiet it. “If I don’t clean up, he’ll be able to tell. Or if someone comes in and the place is closed they could make a complaint, plus I’m supposed to prepare some meals in the meantime too, and I don’t have a way to get there, or something to wear and what if Morris happens to see me there?” It was a slim chance but Asta had had horrible luck most of his life, he came to expect it by now. 

Vanessa didn’t look deterred. “If I promise you, we have a way around all of that, will you hear us out?”

He appreciated her words of ‘hear us out’ rather than instant agreement. Not only that, but Asta appreciated the clear effort put into this whole function. So, how could he not agree to at least hear her out? He gave a firm nod of agreement. There was a slight bit of excitement in his chest and a stronger hope that he had to try and clamp down on. Too much hope was far too dangerous. 

“And!” Oh, there was Luck, still looking as pumped as per usual. “If all else fails I could fight him!” 

Asta couldn’t tell if it was an offer for Asta’s convenience or Luck’s enjoyment of a fight. Still, he grinned. “That's nice of you to do for me, thanks Luck!” 

“Now let’s get done to business!” Vanessa clasped her hands together. She led him further into the room where there were a bunch of toys laid upon a table. 

“What’s this?”

“ _These_ are the toys Gauche’s little sister doesn’t use anymore and he kept.” 

Asta gave a puzzled look. “And he’s letting you use them?”

“‘Let’ is a loose term,” Vanessa replied. “It was more like we told him it were these or the new toys.”

Behind them, Magna asked. “Why did we need a diagram anyway?” 

“We want all of our bases covered,” Finral explained. “This way we could also show Asta he is completely and totally covered.” 

_Covered_. They kept using that word like it was something that could actually possibly apply to Asta. It was kind of nice. 

“To start with,” From the diagram, Vanessa lifted two toys. A mop and a bucket. She put them upon the place on the map marked _The Rhombus_. “Magna and Luck will cover your chores around the place. These two are more than capable, isn’t that right boys?”

“Hell yeah we are!” Magna shouted. “We’re going to demolish those chores!”

“And if I do more than you then we get to fight!”

“ _No one said that Luck_!”

“Next,” Vanessa pulled out a toy that looked like a white little dog. Perhaps the closest thing they had to Charmy’s specialty sheep? “The place doesn’t have to be closed, and you don’t have to meal prep either! Just tell what Charmy what meals you need to be done and she’ll cook 'em. Probably better than you could have, no offense Asta.”

“None taken.” He wasn’t the most talented cook to have around, far better at cleaning, being a waiter and utter tasks. Still, it made Asta curious, if Charmy was a better cook than him (or probably anyone) why did they go to _The Rhombus_ so much? 

“Now for how you’re getting there, and back too before your jerk of a boss finds out-” Asta hadn’t even thought of that bit, getting back before Morris, Vanessa was utterly prepared. “We have Finral!” Vanessa raised a pumpkin toy. 

“Why am I a pumpkin?” 

“It has green on it!”

“Vanessa that explains _nothing_.”

“So,” Vanessa went back to the task. “Finral will portal you guys here and back.”

Asta had never been through one of Finral’s portals, though he had seen his fair share of them. It was the go-to sort of transportation whenever Yami visited the restaurant especially. The first time Asta had met the Captain of the Black bulls was the only time he hadn’t seen him without Finral. The man had gotten lost and Asta had served him on the house and subsequently pointed him to the nearest guild base (it hadn’t been the Black Bulls, but it had been helpful enough to secure the man). 

_“You’re that Asta kid, aren’t you?” Yami had asked him as he was leaving._

_“Um... I think??” Was there another Asta kid?_

_“No, you are.” Yami decided. “Just like Vanessa talked about.”_

_Miss Vanessa had spoken about him? “I guess I am then.”_

_Yami looked him over. “No magic eh?”_

_“Not a drop!”_

_The Captain seemed taken aback by his positive and cheerful response. “That sucks for you kid.”_

_“Well… yeah. But it could be worse.”_

_“It could?”_

_“I’m sure there are ways!”_

_Yami sighed. “Way too cheerful…”_

_Yami hadn’t left a tip, not that Asta expected one automatically a lot of people didn’t leave one. Plus he was a Magic Knight Captain! He had done a lot for this kingdom, he didn’t need to tip Asta of all people._

_But… Yami had patted him on the head. It had been a nice if not confusing gesture. It also kind of hurt, that guy was freakin strong!_

_And Asta respected him. So being patted on the head, though it hadn’t been a tip, still felt pretty dang nice._

“Now onto the fashion!” She seemed a bit more excited about this one. A thimble was in her hand, looking like one of those game pieces rather than a leftover toy. “I’m going to be doing your hair and-” She held up a crown. “Noelle secured some fancy duds for you.”

Fancy duds for him? Noelle? Asta couldn’t help but smile. “That was nice of her.”

“Yep! She said ‘he better appreciate my kindness, I’m royalty!’ and all.” Her gaze softened. “She actually wanted to be here herself so you could thank her in person, but she had some royal obligations.”

“Royal?” 

For the first time, Vanessa paused in her stride. “What, you didn’t know? She’s always saying it.”

Asta shook his head. “I always thought she meant just being noble, I didn’t realize she was actually royalty- wow!” 

“Didn’t the name Silva give it away?” Finral inquired. 

Asta shook his head once more. “Not at all, I don’t know anything about the royalty around here.” He chuckled. “It’s cool that Noelle is one though!”

Vanessa gave a bemused smile. “So there’s appearance all covered.”

Asta was touched by all the effort they’d gone through, however… “Morris could still see me though, even if I am in some fancy duds. He’ll recognize me.” Asta didn’t blend into a crowd easily, he never had. 

“Th-that's where I come in.” For the first time, Asta had noticed a blue-haired girl in the seat Charmy’s double had previously occupied. That meant-

“Is that you Grey?”

“D-don’t stare at me it’s too embarrassing!” She cried out, hands covering her face. “I’m going to use my magic to make you unrecognizable.”

Asta frowned. “But then how will you guys recognize me?” Especially once Morris left and he’d need Finral to take him back. 

“It’s a bit of a special spell,” Vanessa explained. “From what Grey told me, it won’t affect people you trust and care about! And you trust and care about us, don't ya?”

“Yes,” Asta replied in an instant without hesitation. He shocked himself a bit about the quick answer. He really did, it wasn't something he'd thought before, but Asta trusted the Black Bulls completely. “I do.”

All the Black Bulls grinned, or at least their own versions of grins. “See? Every detail is _covered_! What do you say Asta?”

What does he say? How could he say anything else besides _yes_ ? “I say..." He grinned. "I don’t know how I got so lucky to have friends like you.” Screw it. He’d let himself have _hope_. If the Black Bulls, a whole guild could have hope for him, why couldn’t Asta have hope for himself? “Yes! Let’s do it!” 

.

_It's possible_

_For a plain yellow pumpkin to become a golden carriage_

_It's possible_

_For a plain country bumpkin and a prince to join in marriage_

Yuno’s version of ‘normal’ was disliking balls. Usually, they were a total snooze fest. The same old things, the same old people, the same old behavior. He was over it. This ball, however, was different, and for that he was grateful. Grateful that Fuegoleon had abided by his two requests. 

Despite not being a fan of the whole ‘ball’ concept with all the dancing and fancy clothes and pointless small talk, Yuno would admit to enjoying this one far more than he was used to. Seeing all these people have fun was something nice. Commoners weren’t used to the extravagance of royal balls, and they enjoyed it far more than the nobility who didn’t blink at it anymore. 

There was also the added bonus of many of his cousins' disgust with commoners among the ball. Yuno enjoyed the sight of them being so obviously bothered and unable to say or do anything about it less incur Fuegoleon’s wrath. The only one who didn’t fear him was Nozel, but Nozel knew how to fake it when it came to commoners. He was a Magic Knight Captain after all. 

“Yuno!” A familiar voice called his attention. There was the third reason he was in more positive spirits than usual. 

“Noelle,” He greeted in return. Yuno wasn’t the type to grin or smile, even laugh. He kept a firm hold on his stoic demeanor, anything less was far too vulnerable. 

The girl hurried toward him, only to catch her feet and slow down trying to act like she wasn’t so excited to see him. Typical Noelle. 

“There you are!” She gave forth a huff. “You shouldn’t be hiding in the corner like this and make it so hard for me to find you!”

He offered a light smile, something he didn’t typically do, but he was admittedly happy to see his cousin. “Sorry about that Noelle.”

Despite herself, Noelle was happy to see him. It was clear upon her face. Or maybe… maybe she was just happier in general. It wasn’t only her face but there seemed to be a cheer to her step Yuno had never witnessed on his cousin before. He liked it. 

“Well you _should_ be.” She said. “And you should also be sorry for not hugging me yet.”

Noelle actually asking for a hug instead of attempting to drop subtle hints? This was growth, for sure. So Yuno obliged. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the shorter girl in a loose hug. 

“I’ve missed you too Noelle.”

“I never said I missed you!” She didn’t deny it though, instead, she returned the hug. 

Noelle and hugging had been a long journey. She wasn’t the affectionate sort, you’d have to _get_ affection to know how to give it back. Yuno himself was lucky to have gotten so much affection as a kid. Father, Sister Lily, the younger kids, and of course, Asta. Lots of hugs, casual touches, sharing a bed, among other nice things. They were things it took him a bit to adjust without in the castle. However, over time, they were picked up again. Albeit to a smaller extent. After all, royalty was a bit different than the church. 

It had been odd to initiate it, but it’d been something nice for Noelle who was so unused to it. Mimosa was quick to join in as well. Falling asleep on each other, giving hugs, leaning on each other, etc. Noelle had _always_ needed someone to lean on, Yuno realized much later, she just never knew _how_ to lean. 

Yuno was grateful he’d gotten the chance to show her before she was forced to go on without it. 

Leo also joined in eventually, feeling left out. Kirsh tried sometimes but Mimosa often rejected it. Solid and Nebra were horrible, as per usual. Nozel would stick to his usual ignoring of them all, though he always did give a strange look at displays of affection. It didn’t come easy to Fuegoleon but he always made a strong effort for it. 

Sometimes, it was weird looking back and knowing he changed the kingdom’s royal family. _His_ family, Yuno reminded himself. Another weird thing. To think of who he used to be and who he now was. A royal, a noble, a Golden Dawn member, a magic knight, a powerful mage. Yuno would have never pictured it as a kid, he wouldn’t _want_ it as a kid. There were sometimes he wondered if he wanted it now... At least, the royalty and nobility bit. He loved being a magic knight and part of the Golden Dawn. It was the other obligations he was less fond of. 

“How have you been?” He asked, disengaging from the hug. 

“Well I-”

“Noelle?” That wasn’t Yuno, that wasn’t even someone he _recognized_. It was a young woman with dark red hair and a smile directed towards Noelle. She wasn’t a magic knight, Yuno could tell that much. She seemed to know Noelle though, and given how his cousin’s face shifted at the sight of her- Noelle knew her too. 

“Kahono!” She expressed, forgetting about Yuno before her and running forward to greet the other girl. Not that he minded, given she seemed so happy. 

The two embraced and Yuno found himself a bit surprised at the sight. He’d never seen Noelle hug someone that wasn't a family member, especially with such clear affection for the girl. 

“I didn’t know you were here!” Noelle expressed, surprised by her presence but also very fond of it.

“I was visiting and I heard about the ball and was hoping to see you!” The girl, Kahono, grinned widely. “Originally I was going to surprise you at the Black Bulls base, but then I heard anyone was allowed in the ball so…” So she wasn't a noble, and because of Yuno’s wish, she was able to attend.

 _Yes_ , he would admit to feeling a bit smug at how happy Noelle looked with the event of it. 

“I can’t believe-” Noelle stopped herself, finally remembering she’d been talking to Yuno beforehand. “Yuno,” She addressed. “Do you mind if we-”

“Later.” He interrupted knowingly. “We’ll catch up later.”

Noelle shot him a grateful look as she made off with the other girl. He would be lying if Yuno said he wasn’t disappointed to not be able to catch up with Noelle, but he was also happy to see _her_ so happy. It wasn’t a sight he was used to, but he enjoyed it entirely.

He found himself wondering how to go about a shovel talk when he caught sight of the ruckus at the entrance. _Ah_ , the Black Bulls. He knew some of them vaguely as a result of Noelle’s presence in the guild, but he couldn’t admit to being close to any of them or knowledgeable of their members. 

There was the pink-haired witch, Langris’ big brother, that creepy guy with the pale skin, and… and who was that boy? He didn’t look like a Black Bull. Not to say he didn’t fit in with the rambunctious lot of them, he did, but he _wasn’t_ a magic knight. Yuno didn’t even sense any mana off him. 

There was something about him though, something so familiar Yuno couldn’t put his finger on it. He watched as the boy spoke to the Black Bulls in glee, and how his eyes lit up. Why--? _Ah_ , the food platter. A lot of commoners were enjoying it, Yuno couldn’t blame them. When he’d lived in the Church back in Hage a meal like that would have been heaven-sent. 

Heck, he could even imagine Asta going straight for the Tatoes and scarfing them down. Sister Lily would have berated him for it, Yuno was sure, Nash would have made a complaint, and Recca-

“Do they have Tatoes here?” He heard the boy asked loudly. 

One of the Black Bulls responded with a point toward the table, and then the boy was running forward with such a look in his eye. Just like- _no_ , it couldn’t be. It was far too impossible. But--- _he had asked about Tatoes_.

“Asta?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long time between updates lol, I was on a solid roll of updating weekly before that tumbled apart (and i oop) but i finally dragged my ass out of the gutter to keep going so here we are. Honestly, when i say 'my ass in the gutter', I mean it was a combo of this chap being hard to write bc such transitional AND the FINRAL gutter. i have taken on a new strange finral obsession so expect to see some finral content soonish. Im trying to get myself to finish this first (and hopefully my other BC fanfic as well but that one is less pressing to me) but i also have the patients of a grape so we’ll see lol. 
> 
> Also note that Yami didn’t tip because he is ever in debt but he did like Asta a lot, thus the head pat (when he told the guild he didn't tip Asta they were OFFENDED). Also, Vanessa didn’t need the diagram, but I thought it’d be a cute gag to Cinderella and the Black Bulls just being Extra AF. also the Kahono part wasn’t planned out but once I had Noelle there I realized I needed a good solid reason why she left Yuno’s side and I realized 'Oh you dope she has a girlfriend'. They really are such a cute ship so I said To Heck With It and put them as a side ship.


	5. ten minutes ago

Even as the plan played into motion Asta could still hardly believe it was coming to fruition. All these people doing something so grand for him… it was hard to wrap his head around.

Finally, he finished writing down his list of chores for Magna and Luck to complete. The boundless energy called Luck scanned the list only for a moment before bouncing off. Magna, on the other hand, had a much stronger reaction. 

“ _What_?!?!!” His eyes scanned over the list. “You’re kidding me kid, you do all this in one night?”

Asta frowned. “Is it really that much?” 

“It’s  _ impressive _ is what it is!” Magna expressed. “You really should just quit this place, you're being wasted here! If you could get all this done, any place would be happy to haveya!”

He couldn’t help but be a bit bashful at the praise he was so unused to getting. “Thanks.” Asta responded though he didn’t say much about Magna’s ‘getting another job’ comment. Asta was too tied in here to go anywhere else. He’s magic-less, which if found out, couldn't go over well. Plus Rebecca was his roommate, and by proxy, Morris was his landlord. Asta wouldn’t leave her by choice, and Asta couldn’t leave him regardless of choice. Morris had too much power over him for that. 

“Ready Asta?” Finral asked. Wearing the ‘fancy duds’ Noelle had given him, and with his hair more proper than usual with help from Vanessa, Asta nodded. “Yep!” 

Finral brought the portal to life, with Gordan and Vanessa going through it first. Asta was about to follow, only to pause when he caught sight of Charmy’s magic in action. Those sheep were doing a great job of cooking, the food looked delicious. 

“Why do you guys keep coming back?” Asta couldn’t help but ask. “Charmy’s food looks delicious.” 

Finral gave him a look. “Isn’t it obvious?” 

“What is?”

The spacial mage continued to stare at him much to Asta’s confusion. Finally, Finral relented. “Asta,” He said with a smile. “We come to see you.”

_ Oh _ . 

_ In the arms of my love, I'm flying _

_ Over mountain and meadow and glen _

_ And I like it so well _

_ That for all I can tell _

_ I may never come down again _

_ I may never come down to earth again _

Yuno was absolutely sure he was deluding himself. Wishful thinking, it had to be that. That couldn’t be Asta. There was just no way.. But... those green eyes, that hair, and that smile-- the _t_ _ atoes _ . Who else called them tatoes like that? His royal family had aggressively tried to correct Yuno on the title but it was a Hage thing. There were  _ tatoes _ . Without a single doubt in his mind, that was Asta standing before him at the food table munching. 

“Asta?” Yuno approached without a pause, but being in front of Asta he suddenly felt nervous. Typically Yuno was sure in all he did, he was a confident person by nature. To be so unsure was something dreadfully unfamiliar. Then again, it was Asta who always had a habit of bringing forth so many feelings from him. No stoic nature was a match for Asta. 

With a mouth full of food, the boy before him paused. Startled attention was quick to turn into an intensive gaze with familiar warmth. “Yewfo?” He said with his mouth full, much to Yuno’s amusement. Quickly Asta swallowed down the food to speak clearly. 

“Yuno.” He grinned. He said the name without a question, he  _ knew _ . It was just like him. Asta, always so sure and confident. Asta, who he hadn’t seen in what felt like a decade. Was it a decade? The idea was sorrowing. 

Yuno hadn’t a clue what to say, what there could be to be said. The Church had never responded to the letters, but that couldn’t have been Asta by his lone self, right? Asta himself had just been a child as well. Yuno couldn’t blame Asta, even if he wanted to, the notion simply wasn’t in him. Blame Asta? _Asta_? It felt blasphemous. 

“You got tall.” It was such an arbitrary statement and so utterly  Asta . He hadn’t realized how much he had missed the other boy until faced with him once more, his heart lurching in fondness and delight it wasn’t used to feeling. The most joy he found these days was in the happiness or unhappiness of his cousins (it depended on which). It was odd, feeling happiness on account of himself. 

“Or,” He tried hard to constrain the smile etching his lips. “You’re just short.”

“Hey!” Asta objected, though there was no real insult taken. Yuno could tell as much, even all these years later he could read Asta like a glove. Or maybe it was just that Asta was an open person… he wondered if Asta could read him like he used to as well. Yuno knew he wasn’t the open person he used to be. He wondered how much that would change things between them. 

“Hey.” He responded casually to Asta’s objections with the mock of his chosen word.  _ Hey! Hey.  _

There was a pause, and Yuno wondered if he had chosen wrong in acting so familial. It had been so long, there were a great many changes in both their lives. Perhaps he misstepped- 

Oh, Asta was laughing. Yuno had  _ missed _ that sound. It made him want to laugh too. While he didn’t do so, he did let loose the smile he’d been trying so hard to hold back. It was obviously a useless effort. 

“So you’re 19 now, huh?” Asta remained relentless in his arbitrary comments, not that Yuno was complaining. 

“We literally have the same birthday.” He pointed out, a comfortableness he didn’t often feel oozing into him. 

Asta shrugged, not taking offense this time. “I thought you might have a different one after being adopted by a noble family.”  _ Adopted _ . The word felt funny in acclaim to his blood family. It’d been less being adopted and more being tied together with a bunch of crazy people (the crazy part included the ones he liked). Not that Asta knew that, Yuno would wager. The other hadn’t made a comment about royalty at all, Yuno could only assume he was unaware he was speaking to it. 

“That's stupid.” Yuno dismissed him bluntly. 

This time, Asta recoiled with just as much excitement as Yuno had come to expect. “You never know!” 

“No, I  _ do _ know.” Actually, he did know Asta did have somewhat of a point. Yuno had found out about his biological birthday eventually, but he had dismissed it. The day he was found at the Church, _that_ was his birthday. That was when his life began. Date of physical arrival into this world be damned. Asta and he shared that day, nothing would take that from Yuno. 

“You handsome jerk!” Did Asta just call him a _handsome jerk_? Despite half the words being an insult, Yuno was smiling in face of them. There was a casualness there he was so unused to and had so greatly missed. “Just because _your_ birthday didn't change when being adopted doesn’t mean-”

“Hold your tongue boy!” Well  _ crap _ . Regardless of his good intentions, Yuno knew Klaus could be… a lot. Asta simply queried a brow at the glasses clad young man, not very bothered by his acclimation. Very Asta-like, Yuno noted with fondness. 

“Do not speak to his ro-” 

“He could speak to me however he wants,” Yuno interjected speedily, no way was Klaus blowing his cover. He wasn't ready to drop the prince bomb on Asta. Instead, he dropped a different bomb on Klaus. “He’s my friend.”

Klaus seemed taken aback by the word while Asta didn’t seem to even take note of it. Not that he was ignoring the word, but rather Asta saw it as something unquestioned. Just like Yuno did. They were friends. No power in the world itself would change that. 

“Is this guy your friend Yuno?” Asta asked brightly, not having taken offense to Kalsu’s earlier tone.  _ How did he remain so kind _ ?

“Sort of,” Yuno replied before Klaus had a chance to almost ruin things again. “He’s my servant.” It wasn’t a word Yuno often used despite it technically being true. Klaus looked between them, trying to decipher what he was missing. Then Asta was  _ laughing _ . Hysterically. Yuno didn’t understand why (though the sound of it did fill him with a warmth he so much enjoyed). 

“What’s so funny?!” Klaus demanded before Yuno could ask. The man seemed to be taking offense to the laughter, probably thinking it was an insult to Yuno. Klaus did have a tendency to be protective of him, Mimosa too on occasion.

“It’s just that-” Asta left out more lofty laughter before taming himself with a deep breath. “You’re all noble, and you have a servant but... you’re still  _ Yuno _ . The same guy who cried when Sister Lily read us _Bambi_!”

“That never happened.” Yuno was quick to deny (he knew it was a lie, Asta knew it was a lie, but he would go down with the lie to his grave. God forbid  _ Solid _ find this out.)

“Yes, it did!” Asta responded in an instant, though not in a rude tone or even argumentative. Just amused. “You cried and I started laughing so you got angry at me and cried harder, which I found even funnier, so you ran off!” He let out a breath despite the small chuckles still coming. “I was a dumb kid.” It was said more of a note to himself than as anything regretful. Continuing, Asta said. “Than that night I gave you my tatoes as an apology.”

“How are potatoes an apology?” Klaus asked, utterly confused at the concept of it. “Is that some Forsaken Realm ritual?”

Asta seemed more amused than insulted at Klaus’s outburst. Yuno himself didn’t take too much insult on account of knowing Klaus was a good person despite his bluster. “Tatoes are Asta’s favorite,” He explained, despite the way Klaus’s nose turned at Yuno calling them  _ tatoes _ . “We have them rarely. So Asta giving his to me meant something.” 

Yuno remembered that night well. He remembered the frosty air he’d run off in, how much he wanted to stay out longer to make Asta worry after having laughed at him. The annoyed feeling that came with having to come back early anyhow due to the cold. He remembered how much it meant when Asta gave him his tatoes, his most favorite food. Yuno had forgiven him in an instant. 

“Yeah!” Asta exclaimed loudly pointing right at him. “So I sure hope you appreciated them!” 

Asta being passionate about tatoes was another thing that would never change, he realized. It never ceased to amaze him how happy the other boy’s presence alone made him. Yuno smiled softly, unable to help himself. “I did.”

Klaus gasped. The weirdo. His eyes were set on Yuno’s face, was that what caused his gasp? He wanted to ask what the problem was, but the curiosity was quick to fade from his mind when Klaus made a hasty exit and Yuno soon remembered something else. 

“How are the kids doing?” Recca and Nash were practically babies last Yuno remembered. Being adopted was almost unheard of in the Forsaken Realm. If not for his necklace connecting him to nobility (and of course his blood, but they wouldn’t have thought to test for that without the necklace) Yuno would never have been adopted at all. For that, he was sure of. 

Asta’s face lit up. “Nash and Recca are all grown up, it’s so weird! Recca wants to be a teacher and Nash wants to join the Magic Knights!” 

The idea of little Recca becoming a teacher seemed fitting, though Yuno would admit thinking about the baby he used to hold in his arms being old enough to be a magic knight made him feel a tad worried (and old). However, a new thought formed in his mind. 

“Didn’t you want to become a Magic Knight too, Asta?” He remembered it clearly, actually. Asta did. But… he hadn’t. Yuno would have known if he was, being in the Golden Dawn and all. Something Asta didn’t seem to know either. 

Asta’s face fell only for a flicker of a moment before coming back to life. “Ah, you know! Things happen!” _Things happen_? Asta, the most determined person Yuno ever knew, _not_ going after his dream? It didn’t sound right.

“Asta-”

“There are also new kids too!” The other boy was swerving the conversation, and though Yuno had more questions he would pause them for now. He enjoyed the positive atmosphere too much to let it go. “Arlu and Horo! You would like them! Horo’s first word was even Asta!”

Despite his concern, this new information did make Yuno halt. _Was it_? “... no,” He decided, sounding sure, and hoping he was right. “It wasn’t.”

Asta stared for only a moment before breaking into a grin. “But it would have been so cool if it was, right?”

Yuno cracked a smile. “So what was it then?”

“Sister Lily of course,” Asta responded casually. Not that Yuno blamed him, of  _ course, _ it was Sister Lily. Probably only ‘Sister’ to start with. 

“Just like all of us.” 

“Eh, actually not all of us.” 

Yuno gave him a look. “What do you mean?”

Asta, once more, lit up. “According to Father, your first word was Asta, and mine was Yuno.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope! I talked to him a while ago and he mentioned it!” Yuno was kind of curious how such a topic would even come up, but this was Asta he was talking about. Asta could bring up any topic unflinchingly, he had no shame to talk about most anything. 

No beating around the bush, no royal propaganda. It was refreshing. 

“So,” Asta began once more, though he did seem a bit more bashful to talk about the upcoming topic. “You’ve changed a whole lot Yuno.” It wasn’t said unkindly. In fact, Asta sounded happy. “You’re pretty cool now, huh?”

_ Asta thought he was cool. _ Yuno couldn’t explain why the thought of it made him feel so happy. “Someone inspired me to become stronger,” He said, giving Asta a hard look as a hint that  _ ‘someone’  _ meant  _ ‘him’ _ . “So I could protect the ones I care about most.”

“Wow,” Asta said. “That person must be really cool to inspire you so much.”

Yuno stared. “You’re a moron.” 

“Wha--- where did that come from!??!!” Asta demanded loudly.

Yuno could only chuckle. 

_ We are dancing _

_ We are flying _

_ And he's taking me back to the skies _

Seeing Yuno again was probably the best thing that could have ever happened to Asta. It wasn’t something he had thought about or even dreamed. Honestly? It was so much better than anything he could have ever dreamed. 

He owed the Black Bulls just about everything for making this night happen. He’d think about how he could thank them. Something really good, Asta decided. Even if he didn’t know just what yet. 

“So, what do you think of the prince?” Yuno asked him, seemingly random. “He seems like a jerk from what I’ve heard.”

“I mean," Asta pondered. It was an odd topic change but he was happy to indulge. Talking about anything with Yuno was nice. "He threw this ball for us for the whole entire kingdom. Not just the nobles, but everyone. He can’t be all that bad.”

“Well,” Yuno replied, much more aloof than Asta remembered. “He didn’t actually throw it. It was thrown for him.”

“Same difference." Asta shrugged. "Royalty or not, I don’t even know the guy. And I’m not gonna judge someone until I’ve actually spoken to them.”

Yuno smiled, it was different than Asta remembered. Although he’d seen him smile more than once this night, it still surprised him how different it was from their childhood. “Yeah… that sounds just like you.”

He was changed, but he was still Yuno. Yuno would always be Yuno.

“ _ Asta _ .” It was a whispered tone, but familiar tone. Asta was attuned to hearing it after having taken his order too many times to count. 

Yuno raised his brow at the appearance of Gordan but didn’t stop the other from approaching. 

“What’s up Gordan?” He asked. 

The pale man leaned forward, and Asta couldn’t help but notice Yuno’s frown in the background as if he was worried about Gordan. Not in the concerned sense, but in the ‘he might attack’ sense. Sure, Gordan could come off as creepy sometimes but Asta knew he was pretty harmless. Creepy looking, but kind. 

“ _ I spotted Morris starting to leave, Finral is at the entrance. You need to go now.” _

Anxiety thrummed through Asta’s chest. If Morris somehow arrived back before him Asta was-- well, he wouldn’t be fired. But Morris was creative in his punishments… The only thing was-  _ Yuno _ . Asta had missed him greatly. The idea of leaving him behind again was something painful. However, every moment talking to him was a moment lost in getting back and making sure everything went according to plan. 

As much as it pained him to do it, it was time to say goodbye to Yuno. He did consider telling Yuno where to find him when he would be working or even his home address. But then what? It was one trying to have a nice small reunion at a ball, it was another for Yuno to know the life he was living. Asta knew Yuno well. He didn’t want him to worry. Which he _would_. So, he couldn’t know. Even if it hurt, Yuno just… couldn’t know. 

_ “I’m going to stall Morris,” _ Gordon told him. “ _ You meet with Finral _ .”

Gordon left, and Asta frowned watching him go. It was time to face the music. The sad melody of  _ goodbye _ . 

“What’s wrong Asta?” Yuno asked, noticing the frown upon his face.

Determined to not let their goodbye end in sorrow, Asta forced a smile. “It was nice seeing you Yuno.” Suddenly, the smile was no longer forced. It  _ was _ nice seeing him. Nicer than Asta had felt in so long. It was a happiness __ he had missed so entirely. “It was really  _ really  _ nice… but I gotta go.”

Yuno’s eyes widened as if just the idea hurt. (It was kind of nice to know Yuno felt similarly, that Yuno would miss him. Asta liked the idea of someone actually missing him. Hell, he just liked the idea of Yuno. Liked _Yuno_. Being around him... it made Asta happy). 

“Asta-”

“Bye Yuno!”

Giving forth a quick wave, Asta broke into a run. The attendants of the party gave a widespread look of confusion at the sight of someone running through the room. The only thing that prevented Asta from worrying about Morris catching the sight of him was the memory of Grey’s spell. Morris wouldn’t care about some stranger running, so Asta ran. 

He had Finral in his sights soon. The portal was pre-made and ready for their usage. It was at that same moment Asta realized the astonishment following him wasn’t from Asta running, but the noble running after him.  _ Yuno _ .

“Asta wait!” The boy he missed called. 

Behind him, he heard the clipped noises of the pages of a Grimoire whirling to life.  _ Yuno had a Grimoire _ . Of course he did, everyone their age did. Asta was the only exception, in perhaps the whole world. 

He felt the pull of the wind, _ Yuno had wind magic _ . Asta had known this since they were children and Yuno was already excelling before even having a Grimoire in hand. He couldn’t imagine how much more powerful Yuno had grown ever since. 

Raising his hand, Asta did something he didn’t often do. It was the reason Morris had such interest in his blood, it was the reason he would never be a Magic Knight, it was the reason Asta was so special and unspecial at the same time. A touch from his raised hand and the magic was dispelled. 

“Sorry Yuno!” He called out with a grin. “Looks like I win this time!” With such words, Asta dove through the portal with Finral at his flank. They rolled forward in front of The Rhombus. Morris was still far, Asta would guess. They made it in perfect timing. 

“Wow Asta,” Finral said, a bit frumpled from their hurried rush. “I’ve never seen magic like that. You didn’t even take out your Grimoire for the spell.”

“That wasn’t a spell,” Asta replied. Finral and the others had done so much, the least he owed them was the truth. “I don’t have magic or a Grimoire.”

“Then what was that?”

“That was just… something I could do." Asta admitted sheepishly. Morris called it  _ Anti-Magic _ but Asta himself didn’t know what to think of it. Finding it at all had been by random chance, and it was pretty useless in the long run.  _ He _ was pretty useless. Morris reminded him of the fact more than once. It was ingrained into him. What use was he on the battlefield with such an ability? Admitting he was defective was pretty scary though, even if Asta was pretty sure Finral wouldn’t judge him. Finral was a kind guy. All the Black Bulls were nice, but Finral was one of the gentler ones. 

“What kind of friend am I that I didn’t know this?” Finral bemoaned. 

Asta shook his head in an instant. “I was the one who never told you!” Sheepishly rubbing his head he said. “I’ve never actually told anyone before…” It was true. The only person to be aware found out through other means. Morris had been able to sense his lack of mana just from sight. 

“I see,” Finral replied warmly. “I know we had to leave fast, but did you have fun at the ball at least?” He asked, tone hopeful. 

He nodded firmly and with a grand smile. “Yeah, I did! Thank you.” 

The spatial mage stared at him contemplatively. “Have you… ever thought about joining the Magic Knights?”

Asta frowned. “I just told you… I have no magic.” 

“Yeah, but you have _that_. Whatever it is, stopping magic as powerful as that was pretty impressive. Plus the list you gave Magna and Luck to do was impressive as well." Finral chuckled sheepishly. "Kinda scary if you ask me, all those chores. But Asta," With an earnest look, Finral said. "I think you’d be able to make a great Magic Knight.”

Asta stared in frozen disbelief. No one had actually said that to him before. No one had had that type of belief in him except, well,  _ Yuno _ . Yuno didn’t know about his lack of magic or Grimoire though… Finral did. And yet, here he was still saying it. He’d been told the exact opposite. Both by Father, the whole town of Hage, and Morris too. The whole world told him otherwise. 

“But… I don’t have magic.” It bared repeating.

Finral only laughed. “So what? I don’t have a single attack magic spell in my whole Grimoire. There’s no way Yami wouldn’t take you, you have a place with us.” Finral caught himself, becoming a bit bashful in his continuance. “That is if you wanna join that is, I know the Magic Knights aren’t for everyone and you already have a job…”

“He’d really take me?” Asta couldn’t help but ask again. His voice was raw, disbelief and hope burned into it. He was so used to having his whole world crushed. This was something new. 

“Yeah,” Finral promised. “Asta,” He grinned. “You’re practically one of us already.”

_ Was he _ ?

“At the very least,” Finral spoke. “Think about it.” 

Asta nodded. “I will.” 

It was a lot to think about. But he didn't want to think about it at all. Asta wanted to _do it_. But Rebecca, her siblings... _Morris_. 

Despite the impulse not to think about it, Asta knew things weren't that simple. It wasn't a matter of if he _wanted_ to join them. It was a matter of if he _could_. 

  
  


Asta was gone. Yuno hadn’t realized how much he missed him until he saw him once again, and then there he was  _ gone _ once again. At the very least Yuno knew he was in the Clover Kingdom, and he knew the Black Bulls. That was a start. 

“ _ Yuno _ !” Klaus practically screamed his name as he approached, all ruffled. “I heard the commotion, he didn’t attack you, did he? Are you alrigh-”

“Klaus.” Yuno silenced him. “I sent magic at  _ him _ .” Despite himself, despite missing Asta, Yuno couldn’t help the sly smile at the memory. “He dispelled it… He was amazing.” Yuno had never seen his or any magic dispelled in such a fashion. It was like nothing he’d ever seen. It was  _ Asta _ . 

“Wha--...” Klaus looked at him sideways. “Why?”

“He needed to leave. I was trying to stop him.” It was a statement, but for Yuno it said a lot. Him trying to stop someone, _caring_ that they left. Yuno was the epitome of indifferent typically. It wasn’t like him to care about anyone, if at all. 

“Understood.”

_What_? “Huh.”

“You didn’t want him to leave, yes?” Klaus asked, though Yuno  literally just said that. 

“So…” Oh there it was, Klaus was pumping himself up. “We will find your mysterious friend!”

“His name is Asta.” Yuno was quick to correct. Calm, despite his want to find him. Happy, despite his worry. Excited, for all that would be. A feeling he hadn't felt in for so long. _Excitement_. It was new, it was great, it was because of _Asta_. “And he’s the least mysterious person I know.” He  _ would _ find Asta. He was sure of it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chap was a bit different in that it went from Asta to Yuno back to Asta, then Yuno again. This was bc I really wanted to fit into that scene with Magna and Finral at the start but I also wanted their reunion to start from Yuno’s POV. Then I wanted that scene with Yuno at the end so it turned into ping-pong. 
> 
> Something I realized was no matter how happy small things make Yuno NO ONE could make him happy in the way asta could. 
> 
> Also, the HC of Asta and Yuno’s first words being each others names I’m pretty sure came from another fic, thou my mind is struggling to remember which one. But I LOVE the HC, and if I remember or am reminded of which fic I’ll edit and mention it by name!
> 
> So this didn’t make it into the story because ultimately Yuno saw Asta as more of a friend due to their pasts changed so much, but it was one of the first things I wrote and I love it so I’m giving it here:  
> Klaus: Do u wanna marry this boy?  
> Yuno: He’s my rival.  
> Klaus: Is that what the kids are calling crush nowadays?
> 
> AlSO, this is me taking a leap of faith. I have no Black Clover/anime friends to talk to and joining servers is scary so I’m gonna put myself out there and put my discord info on here. If you’re interested in talking Black Clover, hit me up! The name is lemoncoke#5445


End file.
